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NASCAR BGN: Casey Atwood 'Bears' down on Las Vegas

2 March 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

CASEY ATWOOD
No. 27 Castrol GTX Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Notes/Quotes Sam's Town 300 - March 4, 2000
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
AMBASSADOR BEAR TO RIDE WITH ATWOOD IN LAS VEGAS: Casey Atwood will have a passenger with him in his No. 27 Castrol GTX Chevrolet Monte Carlo when he competes in Saturday's Sam's Town 300 NASCAR Busch Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Ambassador Bear, part of an elementary school project, will accompany the 19-year-old driver as he challenges for his third series win.

The Ambassador Bear, named Smoky, is a black bear from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. He has visited Universal Studio's in Orlando, Florida, survived a Hurricane in Tampa, Florida, traveled to Hawaii and is scheduled to go to France and Spain at the end of March.

Smoky belongs to Justin Joiner and is part of a project of Ms. Cyndi Boggs' 4th grade class at Grapevine Elementary School in Madisonville, Kentucky. Each class member has an Ambassador Bear which they track as it is sent around the world. One student's bear even flew with the Blue Angels.

Keepers' of Smoky are asked to write a passage in his journal, which is kept in his back pack, and to send postcards and photos to help the students study the area where he has visited.

CASEY ATWOOD QUICK FACT: Casey Atwood has never competed at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

PEP BOYS JOINS CASTROL GTX RACING TEAM FOR SEVEN RACES IN 2000: Pep Boys, the only aftermarket retail and service chain in the nation that is capable of serving all four segments of the automotive aftermarket: the do-it-yourself, do-it-for-me, buy-for-resale and replacement tires, has joined the Castrol GTX Racing team with Casey Atwood as a marketing partner in seven NASCAR Busch Series races in the 2000 season.

The partnership, which was launched in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, will conclude following the April 1 event at Texas Motor Speedway.

Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Pep Boys currently operates 662 stores in 37 states and Puerto Rico. Pep Boys currently operates in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington. Warehouses are located in Bridgeport, NJ; Chester, NY; Atlanta, GA; Dallas, TX; Los Angeles, CA; Tracey, CA and Indianapolis, IN.

Text provided by Craig Bailey

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.